Peter Finch Biography

Fast Facts

• First person to be posthumously award an Oscar for his performance in "Network"
• Raised by extended family members, he once spent several months living in a Buddhist monastery in India before moving to Australia to live with his great-uncle
• Quote: "Good acting should teach people to understand rather than judge․"
• After years of small stage productions in Australia, he would gain the most fame upon moving to London and signing a long-term contract with Laurence Olivier who would assist in launching his film career
• Co-founded the Mercury Theatre Company in 1946, productions at which would eventually catch the attention of Laurence Olivier who would later persuade him to move to London in 1948
• Served in WWII as an anti-aircraft gunner during the bombing of Darwin, during which he also toured as an actor, putting on productions for soldiers stationed in the Middle East